Lath bundling apparatus



Sept. 6, 1932. D. c. JEFFREY ET AL LATH BUNDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 8, 1929 Sept. 6, 1932. D. c. JEFFREY ET AL LATH BUNDLING APPARATUS Filed April 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Im/e as,- m AM:

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Patented Sept. 6, 1932 DOUG AS 0. JEFFREY, .01 AKRON, nnnoME-R J. 'M nsnAm, or OAKFIELD, NEW YORK;

ASSIGNORS J10 UNIVERSAL PORATION, or DELAWARE" eYrsUM & Linn 00., or .cnIoAGo, 'iLLmoIs, A .eo'n-z :ter rnmxmm Arum-Tris.

. plication and spine ,929; Seria LNo. 353.570.

Our invention relates to m achi-ne's -or bundling pieces of wall boa-rd of a size adapted for use as Plath or as a substitute for lath so as to make such pieces capable of being handled readily in shipment and on the ,job at the place of use. It is one of the objects of our invention to provide a novel arrangement of parts in a machine of this type by reasonof which the bundling machine as a whole is capable of being moved easily and quickly into and qut of position adjacent to the discharge'o-f-the kiln through which the board is directed for drying as it comes from the board formingmachine, or

Q is capable ofbeingmoved to convenient positionwith respect to the place of storage of board or lath which is'to be bundled.

"It is one 'of theobjectsof our invention to provide a machine o-f'this typeorganized and arranged with particular reiterence to theconstruction of the PQLBtSE-tithtb discharge end of the kiln whereby the pieces of board can be handled to the best advantage for feeding forwardly intoitheibundling machine. It is oneofthe objects ofour invention to provide improved feeding means forrmachines of this type whereby the required number of pieces of board maybe fed forwardly automatically in timed relation trom avpreviously piledsupply withoutgth'enecessityfor constant personal attention, thereby permitting the attendants gt/0 .give 1 attention as may be necessary to other details 1 of the bundling operation. v 1 p '1 It is one ofthe-objectsof ourinvention to provide an improved arrangement of means for holding the pieces ofboardjin position and formoving them iorward for the application of gummed tape binders'to the -edges.

ofthe bundles in such lnfi nner as to 'hold the bundles together in unit .form... It .is another object of our invention toprovide improved means for holding the edge portions of the gummed tapesin contact with the faces of the outside boards, ofgthe bundle until the tapes are dried suificientlyform ainstaining thebundle intact.

It is another object of our invention to improve devices ofthis type in sundry details hereinafter {pointed .out. The preferred Wh els 1 f d n S le W means by which we have accomplished our severaliobjects are illustrated in the accom: p'anying' drawings and are hereinafter specifically described. .That which we-te ieve to be new and desire to cover y Letters Patent 1 5 se f r h in th l im In th ie in r a Fig. 1 is a top plan .view of. our improved m i Q A Fig.2 is a side view of the machine asshown in Fig.1, with aplurality of superposed piles of pieces of board the course of being b led; V

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the form of b d p epa -My he ma in fT ig' fl' and 2;

Fig. 4 is aside view of oneend portion adhesive tape to the piles ofboardj of the machine, being shown upon consider,-

1F igu6 is anenlarged detail showing a fragmentary portion of the construction con- .nection' with the; rolls of tape Fig.7 .'s an enlarged detail, being substantially asection' at line"7'7 of Fig -6.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 7 inwhich corresponding parts are indicated. by the same reference characters, 10 and .11 indicate-heavy angleirons forming the side of the-rear end portion ,ofthe frame-work of our improvedmachine, said bars being connec'ted at their forward ends to angleirons 12 and ;lf3,

respectively. The angle irons lOto '13 are connected"together by suitable crossbars andiare connected to a bottom-frame 14 by means of a p urali y (i t id d il5'kdi ql e braebars "16 being provided between oiieend'ofthebottoin frame portion li andan interrnediate portion of'the w rame mioh; Carrying e arejoi rnaled upon gatransverse'a gis 'ata out the middle point of theframe, one or more caster "Whe s er rr id d etife i ar ili the frame; the arrangement being such that theniachine as awhole is cap able of ready tran perti q e se dmif i ri h J th tee l ndt r m re Pi et l md te assist in holding the frame-work rigidly supporting bars 19' are provided serving to in its adjusted position.

Upon the forward end of the machine, we have provided an' endless conveyor belt 20 of any approved type extending about a tail pulley 21 at its rear end and a head pulley 22' V at its forward end. A plurality of supporting rollers 23 are provided across the frame-work underneath the top ply of the conveyor belt 20, such supporting rollers 23 being of any approved type. A supporting roller 24 isalso provided underneath. the bottom ply of the belt, as is best shown in Fig. 2. Guide rollers 25 are provided at opposite sides of the machine near the rear end of the belt for controlling the position of the belt transversely of the machine; v

. The conveyor belt 20 is driven, in the con- Each of the shafts 33 upon which the rollers '32 are mounted is provided at one side of the machine with a sprocket gear 34, such gears being connected with a sprocket gear 35 carried by the shaft of the tail pulley 21,'such connection being effected by means of a sprocket chain. 36 at one side of the machine, a sprocket chain 37 at the opposite side of the vmachine, and intervening gearing comprising sprocket wheels 38 and an idler shaft39. The arrangement is such that the rollers 32 are driven at a very slightly greater surface speed than that at which the conveyor belt 20 is driven. I I

In the construction shown, we have'pro- 3 vided anend stop at a point located approximately four feet from the rear end of thema- .chine. As is best shown in Fig. 4, this end stop comprises across board 40 which is slidable vertical under control of screws 41 .at 0pposite sides of the machine, the arrangement being such that by turning the screws the vertical position of the, stop can be varied for bringing the lower edge of the stop into changed vertical position above the level of the driven rollers 32.

At the rear end of the machine, we have pro- I vided two supporting rollers 42 and 43 at the same level as t v at of the driven rollers 32, and at substantially the extreme end of the machine we have provided an idler 44 at a slighthigher level. At the near side of the ma chine as shown in Fig. 1, we have provided vertically extending guide rollers 45 and 46. The arrangement is such that when a pile w 47 (see Fig. 4) of superposed pieces of board are in position up on the driven rollers 32 with the rear end of the pile extending rearwardly beyond the end stop 40, a second pile 48 of superposed pieces of board can be placed in position with its front end resting upon the rear end portion of the pile 47 adjacent to the end stop 40, and with its rear end portion resting upon the transverse roller.44, the roller44 being preferably at such a level as to support-the pile 48 in slightly raised angular position with respect to the levelof the top faces of the'rollers 32, 43 and 42. In placing in position the boards comprising the pile 48, one or more boards, are preferably handled at a time, such boards being adjust ed .to have their forward-ends in contact with the end stop 40 and their side edges against the guide rollers 45 and 46, theguide rollers 45 and 46 being placed in such position trans- I versely of the machine for assuring that the pile will be in the desired centered position on the machine. Additional piles 49 and 50 can thenbe, placed in position above thepile 48, each successive pile preferably being placed slightly farther toward the rear than the pile upon which it rests.

Top pressure rollers 51 and 52 areprovided for engagingthe top face of the pile of boards, resting upon the driven rollers 32,

such rollers 51 and 52 being .journaled in transverse position between I side bars 53, such side bars 53 comprising with the rollers an auxiliary frame. As is clearly shown in .Fig. -4':the :rear end of the auxiliary'frame'extends above'the end stop frame and of the rollers 51 and 52. The forwardend of the frame comprising the'side 1 bars '53 is provided with downwardly extends frame bars 10 and 11 by means of pivot pins 54a working in slots 54?); By this construction, the auxiliary frame is movable vertically with respect tothe driven rollers 32 whereby the weight ofthe top pressure rollers 51 and 52 is brought to bear upon the top faces of the successive piles' of superposed pieces of boardin positon upon the driven rollers. 1 x

The means: for supporting the adhesive tape binders to be'applied' to the edge portions of the piles of board comprises, in the construction shown, a channel bar 55 extending across the main frame-work. Upon opposite ends of'the channel 55, we provide rearwardly extending arms 56 provided at their rear end portions with vertically extending spindles 57 upon which-rolls of ad hesive tape 58' are adapted to be mounted,

- as is best shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Arms 59 plate 40 whereby such end stop plate is adapt ed to limit thedownward movement of the per ends of the rollers 62 are provided with scribed, we have-provided an addition'alau.

reservoirs for receiving water from any suitable source, such as through a hose 63, the water being adapted to overflow constantly for moistening the felt coverings of the rollers. The excess water is taken care of by a drain 55a of any suitable type.

At each side oft-he machine adjacent to the tape holding and moistening means just described, we have provided an auxiliary frame 64, the form of the frame-work in the. construction shown being illustrated in Fig. 5. Each of the'auxiliary frames 64 is pivotally mounted by means of vertically extending pins 65 upon the main frame bars so as to be capable of swinging thereabout. At the rear end of each'of the auxiliary frames 64, there is mounted a guide roller 66. Extending forwardly from the frame 64 at each side of the machine,-thereisa sheet metal folder 67,.such fold'er being yieldingly supported upon the frame-work by means of a'flexible strip 68 and by means of pins 69 carried by the folder andextending throughopenings in, an arm 70 extending forwardly from the frames. A coiled spring 71 is mounted upon one of the pins 69 at each side of the-machine. The arrangement is such that the folders 67 are adapted to yield outwardly with respectfto the auxiliary frames64. I

The folders 67 areformed of sheet metal bent into shape, the side flanges of; each of the folders being supported by means of a bracket 7 2 extendingthereabout with a block of rubber '73 or other yielding material interposed *between thebracket and one of the flanges for permitting outward yielding of the sides of the folder'as may be necessary.

Inadvanceof the folde'rs'67 by which the adhesive tapes are applied as'h'e'reinafter debar 7 5a of the frame 75 by engagement with "upright bars of the frame 15 prevents forward movement of said frame 7 5 while at the same timepermitting vertical movement.

With the machine in position at the outlet placed in position and is fed forwardly un ofa kiln within which plaster board lath are beingd'ried as they come from a board forming machine, or with the machine in some de-' sired position otherwise with respect to the pieces of board to be bundled, the electric motor 31 is started into operation for driving the conveyor belt 20 so as to carry its top ply forwardly or toward the right in Figs. 1 and 2, and for driving the rollers 32 in clockwise direction in Fig. 4. A pile of board is then derneath the end stop 40 through theaction I of the drivenrollers 32. As the front end of the pilecomes underneath the pressure rollers 51 and 52, such rollers apply downward pres sure upon the pile. When the front end of the pile of superposed pieces of board is brought between the flanges of the folder 67, the tapes from the rolls 58 are applied to the edges of the pile through the action of the folder 67 such tapes having been threaded about the moistening rollers 62 and the guide rollers 66, as is clearly shown in Fig. 6. For the first pile of board passing through the machine, the forward end of the tape is'pressed manually into contact with the pile so as to carry the tape through'the folder 67as the pile moves forward. I

When the rear end of the pile of superposed pieces passes forwardly beyond the end stop 40, the'forward end of the next higher "pile of board which has in the meantime been piled manually in position, drops into engagement with one of the driven rollers32 M so as to cause such pile-of pieces of board to 6 pass forward immediately following the preceding pile, the frictional contact of the several boards with each other beingsufino ficient to insure continued alignment of the v roller 44, whereupon the operation continues.

lVhen the next succeeding pile of superposed pieces of board is brought into engagement with the end stop 40, the forward movement of the top piles at the rear end of the machine is stopped temporarily, thefrictional engagement bet-ween the pile supported directly by the roller 44 and thepile beneath'being sufficient for causing the piles to move forward to the end stop but being insufficient to cause trouble'after such stoppage.

Inasmuch as the driven rollers 32 normally carry atpile of board forward at a slightly 'more rapid rate than that at which the pile is carried forward by the conveyor belt20, it

will be understood that the piles of board will follow each other without intervening spaces at the point where the tapes are applied to the piles of board. Bythis means, any slightdelay which'is caused in connection with the automatic feeding of the piles of board is compensated for ,With one pile following.. "immediately after the preceding pile, the

tapes fromthe rolls 58 will be fed forward continuously without the necessity for any sort of manual control. 7

By the provision of the auxiliary frames 64, the guide rollers 66 are free to move outwardly whenever there may possibly be a slight variation in the width of the p1eces of board. Such. outward movement Of the rollers 66 would have a tendency to move the folders 6'7 inwardly, but the outward yield. ing of the. folders 67 with respect to the frames 64 is permitted as may be necessary by reason of the yielding mounting of the folders with respect to such auxiliaryframes.

In the use of our improved apparatus, in which the rollers 32 are; driven at a slightly higher s1. :face speed than that atv which the conveyor belt 20 is adapted to'run, when a pile of boards is brought by the rollers 32 into engagement with the rear end of the next preceding pile the rollers 32 thereafter slip to the slight extent necessary with respect to the pile of boarr resting thereon, the action of the rollers 32 being comp arativelv less positive than that of the conveyor belt 20.

The conveyor 20 is normally driven at a speed'slightly greater than that necessary for taking care of the output of the board producing machine and he 'kiln, so that time is providedfor stopping the machine at intervals as may be necessary or desired for substituting a fresh roll of gummed paper or for any other suitable puroose.

As the tapes are applied to the opposite edges of the piles of, boards, such piles are carried forward underneath the top pressure rollers 76 and 77 which smooth down and apply pressure to the edge portions of the tapes for PTGSSIDO bundles are taken from the machine.

By the use of our improved machine, a bundle 80 such as is shown 1n F 1g. 8 is provided, comprising a plurality of pieces of board held together by adhesive tapebinders' 81 at its opposite edge portions, such adhesive tape binders being in the construction illu trated in Fig. 3 continuous from end to end of the bundle. The bundle 80 is preferably composed of pieces of board sixteen inches wide and forty-eight inches long.

While we prefer to employ the form of machine as shown in our drawings and as above described, it is to be understood that we do not wish to limit our 1nvention to the form shown except so far asthe claims may beso binders about edge holding the pieces 0 carrying along in superposed piled relation a plurality ofpieces of board, pressure means free to move either upwardly or downwardly and arranged to have its principal support from successive piles. of boards for pressing the boards together as they move forward, and means adapted as the compressed pile moves forward to apply adhesive tape binders to edge portions of the pile for holdingthe pieces of board together in unit bundle form.

3. A machine of the typedescribed, comprising in combination a conveyor for carrying forward in superposed piled relation a plurality of pieces of board, means in rear of said conveyor serving normally to feed said pile boards at a slightly higher speed of movement to said conveyor, and means :adapted as the pieces pass forward .to apply adhesive tape binders about edge portions of the pile for holding the pieces of board together in unit bundle form. V

l. A machine of thetype described, comprising in combination a conveyor for carryng forward in superposed piled relation a plurality of pieces'of board, means in rear. of said conveyor of slightly less positive action servingnormally to feed said piles of boards at a slightly higher speed .of movement to said conveyor, and means adapted as the pieces pass. forward to apply adhesive tape board together in unit bundle form. 1 5. A machine of the type ,described,.com-

prising in combination an endless. belt conveyor for carrying forward in superposed piled relation 21- plurality'of pieces of board, driven. rollers in rearof said belt conveyor for feeding said piles of boards to said conveyor, and meansadapted as the pieces pass forward to apply adhesivetape binders about the edge'portions of the pile for holding the pieces of board together in unit bundle form.

6. in a machine oftheclass described, the combination of conveyor means comprising an endless belt for carrying forward a plurahty of pleces of boardin superposedpiled relation, pressure means free toimove either upwardly or downwardly and arranged to have its principal support from successive piles of board for pr'essing the boardsto type described, comortions of the pile for y for applying yielding downward pressure on gether as they move forward, and means,

adapted as the compressedhpiles movefor- :ward to apply adhesive tape binders about opposite edge portions of successive piles for holding the piecesof board together incompresseduni-t bundle form. v i a 7.. A machine of the type described, comprising in combination an endless belt conveyor for carrying forward in superposed piled relation a plurality of pieces of board, rollers, in rear ofsaid belt conveyor dr ven at such speed as normally to vfeed the plled boards forward to said conveyor at a slightly higher speed than that ofthe conveyor, and means adapted as the pieces pass forward to apply adhesive tape binders about edge portions of the pile for holding the pieces of board together in unit bundle form; i v 8. Amachine' of the type described, com prising in combination conveyor means for carrying along in superposed plled relatlon a plurality of, pieces of board, weighted pressure means fioatingly mounted so as to be sup-, ported principally by said piles-of boards said piles as they pass along, and means adapted as the pieces pass forward to apply adhesive tape binders about edge portions of the pile for holding the pieces 'of board together in unit bundle form.

9. A machine of the type described, comprising in combination conveyor means for carrying forward a plurality of pieces of board in superposed piledrelation, means adapted as the boards pass forward to apply adhesive tape binders about opposite edges of the pile, pressure means for pressing the boards firmly together as they approach said binder applying means, and other pressure means in spaced relation to said first named pressure means on the opposite side of said binder applying means for continuing the pressure on said boards as they pass forwardly.

10. A machine of the type described, comprising in combination conveyor means for carrying forward a plurality of pleces of board in superposed piled relation, means adapted as the boards pass forward to apply adhesive tape binders about opposite edges of the pile, floatingly mounted pressure means in rear of said binder applying means for applying initial pressure to the boards, and other floatingly mounted pressure means serving to apply downward pressure on said boards in advance of the binder applying means before said boards pass out ofthe in 'fluence of said first named pressure means.

11. A machine of the type described, comprising in combination conveyor means for carrying forward a plurality of pieces of board in superposed piled relation, two auxiliary frames floatingly mounted above said pile in spaced relation therealong and each having a plurality of pressure rollers revoncf-or pressing theboards firmly together as I they pass forward along; saidconveyor, and means located between said spaced; auxiliary frames for applying adhesive tape, binders about both edges of the pile of, boards while the'pile is maintained in compressed relationas it is carried forward. 1 I Y Y 12. A machine of the type described, comprisingin combination conveyor means for carrying forward a plurality of piecesof board in superposed piled relation, means adapted asthe boards pass forward to apply adhesive tape binders about opposite edges of the pile, pressuremeans for applying downward pressure. 011 said pile of boards as they pass forward to said binder applying means,

and meansfor supporting other pieces of adapted as'theboards Ipassforw'ard to apply adhesive tape binders about opposite; edges of the pile,'pressure means 1 for applying downward pressure on said pile-ofboards as theypass forward .to said binder applying means, and means in rear of said pressure applying means for supporting the rear end of a secondpile of pieces ofboard in such position above the pile on the conveyor that the forward end of said second pile issupported by said first named pilefor applying downward pressure thereto. as said first named pile moves forward to said first named pressure means. 1

- 14. A machineof the typedescribed,com-

prising in combination conveyor means for carrying forward a plurality-'of piecesof board in superposedpfledrelat on, means adapted as the boards pass forward to apply adhesive tape binders about opposite edges of the pile, pressure, means for applying downs wardfpressure on said pile of, boards as they pass forward to said binder applying means,

and a roller for supporting the rear end of a second pile of superposed'boards at a slightly higher level than the top face'of said first named pile on the, conveyor whereby downward pressure is applied'to said first named: pile by said second pile as said first named pile moves forward, to said first namedpressure,app1ying means.-' or 15. A machine of the type, described, com; prising in combination afra'me, conveyor meansmovable longitudinally of the frame for carrying forward insuperposed relation I acplurality of pieces 'of board',,auxiliary frames pivotally mounted; on "vertical axes on said first named frames on opposite-sides vertical axes on the end portions of said I side boards of the piles.

auxiliary frames respectively at the level of said piles of boards, means for feeding moist adhesive tapes to 'saidfrollers, and folders resiliently mounted on the forward ends of said auxiliary frames adapted as the piles move forward to apply said tapesabout edge portions of the piles for holding the pieces of board together in unit bundle form. j I

" 16. "A'machine of the type described, comprising in' combination a frame, carrying wheels on said frame, conveyor means mov able longitudinally of the frame for carrying forward in superposed piled relation a plurality of pieces of board, and "means mounted on said frame adapted as the pieces of board passforward, to apply adhesive tape binders about edgeportions of the pile for holding the pieces of board together in unit bundle form.

17. A machine of the type described, com

isvamo 20 A inachi-ne of 'the type described, comprising in combination a frame, conveyor mjeansfmovable longitudinally of the frame for carryingforward insuperposed relation I a pluralityof pieces of board, means for apforwardly therefrom under which saidbinders are carried'as the piles move forward for insuring secure bonding of thebinders with the facesof the outside boards of the bundles. Y V a v V P DOUGLAS C. JEFFREY.

HOMER J. MARSHAM,

prising in combination a' frame, carrying wheels journaled on an axis extending transfversel-y of the frame at an intermediate point,

a 'carrying wheel journaled on a horizontal .axls and adjustable about a vertical axis at one end of said frame, a pivotally mounted Y leg at the opposite end of saidframe,'conveyor means movable longitudinally of the frame for carrying forward in superposed piled relation aplurality of pieces of board, and means mounted on said frame adapted as the pieces of board pass forward to apply adhesive tape binders about the pile for holding the pieces of board together in unit bundleform;

' l8. A machine of the type described comprising in combination a frame, conveyor means movable longitudinally of the frame for carrying forward in superposed relation aplurality of pieces of board, means for applying adhesive tape binders about edge portions of said piles of board as they move forward, and weighted flexible strips connected with said frame and-extendingforwardly under which said binders are carried as the piles pass forward for insuringsecure bonding of the binders with the faces of the out- 19'. A machine of the type described, comprising in combination a frame, conveyor means movable longitudinally of the frame for carrying forward in superposed relation edge portions of and weighted flexiblestrips connected I V a plurality of pieces of board, means for applyingadhesive tape binders about edge poi tions of said piles of board as they move forward,"an auxiliary frame movable vertically abovefsaidffirst named frame at a point slightly in rear of that at which said'tapes are-applied, and rollers journaled in trans verse position in said auxiliary frame for pressing said binders tight against the boards of the pilesg; 

